UK watchdog revises Amgen bone drug guidance

June 11, 2012|Reuters

LONDON, June 12 (Reuters) - Britain's healthcare costwatchdog has had second thoughts about using Amgen'snew bone drug Xgeva, or denosumab, and now says it does notbelieve it should be offered on the state health service toprostate cancer patients.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence(NICE) had in March recommended the drug for breast and prostatecancer patients whose disease has spread to the bone.

But in light of fresh information from clinical experts, theagency said on Tuesday it no longer believed Xgeva represented acost-effective choice in treating prostate cancer.

The decision is due to revised thinking on the appropriatecomparator treatments for Xgeva, which is an alternative toolder bone-strengthening bisphosphonate drugs.

Expert evidence showed that while bisphosphonates helpedprevent bone damage in breast cancer, they were mainly used forpain relief in prostate cancer, a NICE spokeswoman said.